Posts Tagged ‘Social skills like hygiene’

People with autism like routines and things to remain the same. They prefer structure and dislike any changes to their daily routine.

Hygiene is a social skill that a normally developing person will learn as they grow from their environment, peers and family. However with autism the skill is not learnt naturally.

People with autism do not care what others think of them, or understand little jibes like “phew what’s that smell”.

They lack the ability to “mind read” they do not understand facial expressions and lack the ability to read a persons body language. Social skills like hygiene need to be taught directly.

Healthy hygiene habits in autism can be taught and re-enforced using visual prompts.

People with autism are visual learners and respond better to visual cues rather than the written or spoken word.

They have trouble understanding our world and can become anxious and sometimes aggressive when they fail to understand what is expected of them.

For example Healthy hygiene habits in autism, we understand the need to brush our teeth, take regular dental check up’s, shower, wash our hands and how to use the toilet appropriately

…All natural hygiene habits we learn through experience and watching, to an autistic person these naturally required skills need to be learned.

That’s where autism social skills stories help; they give the autistic individual instruction, cues and answers to what, where why and when, helping to teach the autistic individual the importance of healthy hygiene habits.

For example during the teenage years the autistic individual will begin to go through puberty, they will sweat and need to take care of their personal hygiene. A social skills story can explain why they are going through puberty the changes they can expect and how they will be expected to act and react to situations and circumstances that are in some cases out of their individual control.

They may not understand the need for a regular dental check up’s; all habits we naturally acquire and accept, however to an autistic person sometimes these things are confusing and in some cases will cause actual pain and anxiety.

Autistic individuals are sensitive to light, sound, touch and smell, which in some cases can make healthy hygiene habits difficult to master.

Again autism social skills stories can help them to overcome their fears and anxieties by giving them pictorial support and cues, showing what is happening and why. Then giving the autistic individual coping strategies and instruction on how to perform the task or deal with the activity or situation.

Like for example brushing their teeth, why we do this, what the outcome of not brushing your teeth could be, as well as how to brush their teeth…resulting in good oral hygiene and less cavities.

To help autistic individuals gain healthy hygiene habits and gain Healthy hygiene habits in autism use autism social skills stories.

Download autism social skills stories for Healthy hygiene habits in autism like good hygiene habits and other social skills stories from